SMLD employees picket for safer conditions

Picketers in front of the Sterling Light Department Friday protested lack of rest time between shifts. Submitted photo Claiming unsafe and antiquated work practices, members of IBEW local 486 stood outside the Sterling Municipal Light Department Friday afternoon in an informational picket line.

"This is a safety issue and not one of economics. I'm not saying economics couldn't be better, but our primary concern is rest time," said Richard Raymond, general manager of IBEW local 486.

According to Raymond, SMLD workers have been without a contract since September 30, and while this is not unusual, they want to see changes in the safety policy.

"Now, more than ever before there is a demand for uninterrupted electricity due to computers and other technology. This means more and more work, and because of these changes you need to be safer than ever before," Raymond said.

It is common to have a rest time throughout the industry due to these demands, but Sterling has not adopted this work practice, he said.

"For example if you are called out to a job at 1 a.m. and work until 6 a.m., you are then expected to work your regular day shift without a break. It is common practice elsewhere to have a rest time after a night shift due to the nature of the work we do. Sterling did not adopt this practice until Tuesday, January 16," Raymond said.

SMLD General Manager John Kilgo, Jr. confirmed that workers were sent home Tuesday to rest after the weekend ice storm.

"We have plenty of safety practices in place," Kilgo said Tuesday. As an example, we are in the process of sending folks home now after the ice storms of this weekend. The IBEW are picketing simply to make us uncomfortable."

The workers were not picketing during their shifts, according to Raymond.

"We understand that municipal employees do not have the right to strike, and this is not a strike. This is an informational picket," he said.

Kilgo agreed that employees were still working their shifts and that they had a right to do anything they wished after hours.

"Every American has a right to picket, but when they do it at a very busy intersection blocking the view from the SMLD driveway, we pay attention to that," he said. "We are more than willing to negotiate with reasonable people who have reasonable requests."